The invention relates to a power transmission with two pairs of mutually aligned, coaxial shafts, which can be shifted relatively to each other in an axial direction. A clutch disk is disposed in each case at the ends of the shafts disposed toward each other and the shafts can be coupled in various combinations by way of a clutch body or element disposed so as to be freely movable and rotatable between the two pairs of clutch disks.
A transmission of this kind is known from the European Patent Application No. 80890050 (Publication No. 0019609). The shafts, which at the known transmission ratios are movable relative to each other by way of a control and are capable of being coupled via the central clutch body in various combinations, are disposed in an idler gear, which is connected to the drive shaft and the driven shaft of the transmission via gear wheels, where the drive shaft and driven shaft are disposed in alignment and are protruding on opposite sides of the transmission case. Such a constructed transmission is suitable for all those application cases where a disposition of the transmission is advantageous between the motor and the elements driven by the same.
It is an object of the invention to provide a transmission of the kind indicated such that the motor and the elements driven by it can be disposed on the same side of the transmission as it is, for example required at vehicles, where the wheels driven are in the immediate proximity of the motor, for example at cars with a front wheel drive and the engine disposed in the front.